Tag: Mantras

2019 marks the beginning of a new year. A new year means you can wipe the slate clean and start fresh. For many, it gives permission for a do-over or second chance. I think that’s why so many people make new year resolutions. I’ve made New Year resolutions in the past and really tried to make them stick, but to no avail. I end up frustrated and feeling like a failure, so I just quit. Last year I stumbled on an article about mantras. I was quite fascinated with the article. The basic premise was, instead of coming up with a list of resolutions, create for yourself a “mantra” or slogan you will use to speak over every aspect of your life for this new year. It’s not specific to just one thing so it’s FAIL proof! And, like the power of words, if you say them enough, you will start to believe them.

I tossed my resolutions, choosing instead to become resolute in creating a mantra for myself. My mantras for 2018 were:

“I Speak To My Mountains” I chose this as a mantra because there were BIG things I wanted to accomplish, BIG things I needed to do, and BIG ways I needed to act. Some were really exciting but many required me to step out in faith and start the tough climb UP my mountains.

My second mantra was:

“I Feel the Fear And Move Anyways.”

Fear has a way of destroying great opportunities and possibilities if we let them get in the way. Insecurity can give way to fear. It would be easier if I did nothing and stood in the shadow of my fears, I’m quite good at it! Last year, I named those fears, faced (most) of them and moved anyways.

Looking back on 2018, I can say creating mantras were a great way for me to work on me! If I gave into fear or tried to skirt around a mountain, I put on my big girl panties and tried again. I never felt like I failed. As I faced 2019, I chose to continue with these two mantras because I know I’m possibly facing some BIG mountains and I need to continue to work through fear. But I did decide to add a word this year along with my mantras. My word for 2019 is INTENTIONAL.

Intentional is how I’m going to work on being the best version of myself I can be. I want to be more intentional with how I spend my time, invest in others, intentional with the words I speak, intentional how I respond to hard things, intentional with how I celebrate good things, intentional with my work with girls, intentional how I continue to develop programs on bullying, intentional, intentional, intentional.

As we start 2019, I just want to challenge you to find how you can be even better than you were in 2018. You see, we are going to be less likely to mistreat each other if we are holding ourselves accountable. If we are feeling good about who we are, we will feel less likely to make someone else feel bad about who they are.